Banana bread brownies are feel-good treat

Banana bread was one of the most searched recipes online during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, and for so many good reasons. It’s cheap and easy to make, features overripe fruit that might otherwise get tossed and strikes a chord of comfort and familiarity.

With the recent unrest in our nation’s capital and stress over the slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, many of us are looking for things to make us feel better.

Banana bread brownies with peanut butter and chocolate do just that. You can’t help but feel loved when biting into a piece.

This brownie recipe pairs a moist banana bread bottom layer with a chocolate chip-studded top layer. Peanut butter and oatmeal add a protein boost.

While it’s technically a dessert best enjoyed after dinner or as a midday snack, no one will complain if you sneak it in for breakfast.

The riper the bananas, the sweeter the brownies. To speed the ripening process, place bananas in a brown paper bag with a ripe apple or tomato and close loosely (they should ripen in about a day). Or bake unpeeled bananas in a 300-degree oven until the peels are shiny and black (about 20 to 30 minutes).

The original recipe calls for almond flour and almond butter, but on my first go-around, I substituted all-purpose flour and peanut butter to OK results. My second try with almond flour was better, so it’s probably worth the added expense. Also, the smaller the pan, the thicker the brownies.

GRETCHEN MCKAY/PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE Banana bread teams up with chocolate chips, peanut butter and oatmeal to create a layered brownie that’s just as good for breakfast as it is for dessert.